The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-05-27
Masonic Sketches.
THE CHAPTER AT BATH.

The first Chapter of Royal Arch Ma
sons established In this State was st
Andrews at Hanover. This was b,
authority of Thos. s. Webb Of Soutl
Carolina, General Grand King in TIN
National organization. The date O.
the establishment was January 9th
1907. Trinity at Hopkinton, wa
founded the next month, Washington
at Portsmouth in 1915 and Cheshire q
Keene in 1916. Representatives of thu
three chapters first named, met at Hop
kintOn June 18th, 1918 and formed ,
Convention. The consent of the Dep
uty General Grand High Priest ,havilil
been obtained, a Grand Chapter for thu
State of New Hampshire was duly or
ganized June 10th, 1919. This meeting
was held at Concord and q delegation
from Cheshire Chapter were also pres
ent. The meeting for 1920 was on the
18th of July at the hall of the Dart
mouth Hotel in Hanover. In the rec
ord of business the following entry
appears:
and kenrick, were appointed O. com
mittee to consider of the petition OF
Ezra G. Hutchins and others, for the
establishment Of Chapter at Bath.
The next day ''the committee on the
expcdient of Ezra G. Hutchinsand 9th
crs, reported, that it is expected to
grant the prayer Of the petitioners
which report was accepted.
This was Franklin Chapter and in
1922 it was numbered 5. 1t received
the first Charter issued by authority of
the Grand Chapter of N. H. The date
of it's establishment is put down on the
old records as July 10th, 1920. The
first meeting appears by the record to
have been August 2Sd, at which time
bylaws were adopted. The first rep
resentative it had in the Grand Chan.
ter, seems to have been Jonathan
Smith, who was in attendance i'm 1921
and was appointed Grand Steward.
In 1922, DR.. Edward Dean, the High
Priest of Franklin Chapter, appeared
for it in the Grand Chapter and was
made Grand Scribe for that year.
The High Priest, Charles Abbott, APP
peared as representative the next year
at Keene and announced the death of
DR.. Dean.
The Grand Chapter "voted that the
Stewards be directed to furnish the
usual badge of mourning, to be worn
by the officers and members of this
Grand Chapter, during the present
session, in token of their sorrow for
the death of Edward Dean, late Grand
Scribe of this Grand Chapter.
"a strip of white Grape to be worn
on the left arm was the usual badge of
mourning. Resolutions of sympathy
for the widow of DR.. Dean were adop-
ted and forwarded.
Companion Abbott was Grand Capt.
of the Guard in the Grand Council r.
& S. M. for the same year.
The proceedings fol 1924 record the
presence of Ezra C. Hutchins, Scribe
for Franklin Chapter. They contain
printed returns of the several subordi-
nate chapters. Twenty-four members
of Franklin Chapter are reported.
The meeting of the Grand Chapter
for 1925 was attended by Samuel A.
Pearson, lawyer of Lancaster, Ezra
G.. Hutchins and Harrison Gray for
Franklin Chapter and was an occasion
of much interest. An invitation to at
tend the ceremonies of laying the cor
ner stone of Bunker Hill Monuq lent,
was accepted and the matter of a ltcep-
ton to Gen. Lafayette considered. In
accordance with the recommendation
of committee in terse and interest
ing report, it was voted that black
should be the badge of mourning and
the use of white badges for that pur-
pose was discontinued.
This year the printed returns for this
Chapter showed membership of SO,
besides five recent exaltations.
The Grand Chapter assembled on
June Is the next year. Charles Abbott
and James Willis appeared by proxy
for the first officers of Franklin Chap
ter. Companion Willis does not APP
pear to have been a member of the
Chapter, but he was appointed on the
committee on Foreign c Communications.
The returns dated May 30th 1926, gives
the names Of Sc members of this Chap
ter.
The record of the proceedings Of the
Grand Chapter at the annual session
for 1927, indicates that the presence of
anti-masonic agitation had begun to be
felt in that body. Samuel N. Pearson
of Franklin Chapter, was member at
this session. The membership of the
Chapter was returned as Al with one
exallation.
At the communication of the Grand
Chapter for 1928, holden June 18th,
Samuel Ross and S. N. Pearson repre-
sented Franklin Chapter by proxy:
Comp. Ross was made a member of
the committee on unfinished business.
Comp. Benton appointed at the last
to visit Franklin Chap
at Bath, rendered report which was
accepted and contained that which is
of interest, relative to the history of
this Chapter and the causes of its de-
cline. It will be given due attention
at later point in this narrative.
In 1929 there was no representative
or return for Franklin Chapter, and in
fact after 1928 none are found by the
records until the revival of the organi-
cation in March 1859. The Charter
was declared forfeited June 14th 1S43'
The Grand Chapter Of Vermont. or.
ganized in 1904, upon the petition OF
Michael Barron and others dated April
1o4l 1911 o,,@bor;,o1 tho oet ob1i chmnnt